Glorious Sadness: The Arms of the Angel
by Tracy Diane Miller
Summary: Jennifer and Gary face their greatest tragedy. WARNING: This is a tear-jerker.


Glorious Sadness: The Arms of the Angel  
  
Summary: Jennifer and Gary face their greatest tragedy. WARNING: This is a tear-jerker. The title of this very short story was inspired by "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan.  
  
Disclaimer: Jennifer Hobson, Garrett Jeffrey Hobson, and Kathryn Lois Hobson are my own creations. Early Edition and Homefront characters belong to whoever created them. No copyright infringement intended. No profit is being made.  
  
Author's Notes: This story is part of the continuing series that began with "Mirror Image." "Mirror Image" was an Early Edition/Homefront crossover story where Gary was inexplicably transported to 1946 River Run, Ohio and met and bonded with his mirror image, aspiring baseball player, Jeff Metcalf. "To Love & New Beginnings" is the sequel to "Mirror Image." In "To Love & New Beginnings", a broken-hearted Gary, now back in his own time period, meets and falls in love with Jennifer Szabo Metcalf, the spunky actress and granddaughter of Jeff Metcalf. And in "Destiny Fulfilled", the newlyweds, Jennifer and Gary, await the birth of their first child and confront enemies from the past and present.  
  
Anyone interested in reading my continuing series can find them at Phoenix Arises: The Fanfiction Store at the web site address that appears below:  
  
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jennifermetcalf214  
  
"Aunt Sky" (Sky Fairfax) was created by Janet from her wonderful series (Forever Friends, Forgotten Memories, Ride 'Em Cowboy, Miracle on Halstead Street, and Sky's Story) . A very special thanks to Janet for giving me permission to use her character in my stories.  
  
I dedicate this story to Vickie Jo g.  
  
Author: Tracy Diane Miller  
  
E-mail address: tdmiller82@hotmail.com  
  
  
  
Glorious Sadness: The Arms of the Angel  
  
Her skin was as flawless as fine porcelain. Her gold hair was soft and shimmering as if it had been spun on a loom. Her eyes were as blue as the Mediterranean. Yards of precious silk adorned her body. Her wings were diaphanous and spread with unquestioned elegance. Her face told of the beauty of a celestial spirit.  
  
An angel.  
  
The angel found a kindred spirit in the beautiful little girl also with flawless skin, golden blonde hair, and bright and expressive blue eyes.  
  
Kathryn Lois Hobson.  
  
Kathryn cuddled underneath the covers of her white and frilly canopy bed and held tightly onto her doll. This doll was the most beautiful angel that Kathryn had ever seen. The doll had been a birthday gift two years ago from her great-grandmother Ginger. Great-grandmom Ginger had told Kathryn that the angel was very special and had been in the Szabo family for many, many years and that whenever Kathryn felt afraid or alone, this angel would watch over her. The then precocious four-year-old had gratefully and lovingly accepted the angel. Kathryn had cherished the special heirloom ever since.  
  
A wide and joyous smile crossed Kathryn's face and her little heart beat in eager anticipation as she heard the familiar footsteps approaching. Soon, the door to her bedroom opened. And then she saw him, his form a marvelous silhouette that shone from the light of her Cinderella night light. Her prince. Daddy. His mud green eyes met her blue eyes as he gazed at her. Both of their eyes exploded with unadulterated love. He smiled at her appreciatively. Daddy was here. She felt safe.  
  
She squealed with excitement as he proceeded to her bed and sat down. It didn't matter how late it was when he came home or whether he was dead tired from a long day at "work", she refused to go to sleep until Daddy came home and told her a story. She didn't care if the Sandman threw a tantrum and tugged forcefully at her eyelids or stifled her natural exuberance by inducing a symphony of fitful yawns. Kathryn was a stubborn and defiant little girl. She was her Mommy's daughter. Daddy was always the last person that she wanted to see before she began her pilgrimage to the land of dreams.  
  
It was a ritual in the Hobson home. Mommy supervised the baths and made sure that she and Garrett brushed their teeth. Mommy would help her into her night gown. Tonight, Kathryn got to wear the special night gown that Grandmom Lois had bought her. This night gown made her feel like a princess. The night gown was made of pure white silk and embroidered with tiny white beads. There were so many beads. She couldn't count them all. No, the night gown made her feel better than a princess. The night gown made her feel like an angel.  
  
Kathryn always slept with the beautiful, little gold cross that had been given to her by her godmother, Sky Fairfax. Kathryn loved "Aunt Sky". "Aunt Sky" was beautiful and funny and she told the best stories about Daddy when he was a little boy.  
  
Kathryn sat up in the bed and wrapped her arms around Daddy's neck. She hugged him tightly. The hug lasted longer than usual. She shivered slightly. She acted as if she didn't want to let him go.  
  
"Wow! What was that for?" Gary asked curiously.  
  
"I'm making you a memory so you won't forget me." The precocious six-year- old replied.  
  
"Forget you?"  
  
Kathryn nodded. "Yes, when I leave you, Garrett, and Mommy and go home to the angels."  
  
"That won't be for a very long time."  
  
"No, Daddy. Soon. But I'm not afraid." Kathryn answered knowingly.  
  
Gary felt a chill course through his body as he stared at his daughter. He remembered a conversation that he had recently with Jessica. His mother-in- law had remarked that Kathryn was so much like Jennifer when she was a little girl. Stubborn and precocious. But Jessica also noted that Kathryn possessed an eerie perceptiveness that was above most children her age. It was as if Kathryn knew things that most children wouldn't know.  
  
Kathryn had a fascination with angels. Whenever the Hobson family went to church, Kathryn would stare at the figures of the angels adorning the stained glass windows. The mention of angels during Mass always captured the child's attention. But this fascination had increased even more when Jeff and Ginger died last year. As the family mourned the loss of the Metcalfs, Kathryn insisted that they shouldn't cry anymore.  
  
"Great-Granddad and Great-grandmom would be sad if we cried anymore for them. They are home with the angels. They are in Heaven. They are happy." Kathryn said.  
  
Jeff and Ginger were in the arms of the angels so the family couldn't be sad. Okay, if they were sad, it had to be glorious sadness. Sadness because Jeff and Ginger were no longer with them, but glorious sadness because they were in Heaven and Heaven was wonderful.  
  
Jeff had died the day after Garrett's ninth birthday. During Garrett's birthday party, Jeff had taken Gary aside. He wanted to talk. Gary heard the urgency in his friend's voice. Jeff Metcalf was eighty-six-year old, but his mind was still very sharp. Sometimes Jeff went on very long tangents about his youth before making his point, but any annoyance in waiting for the point was balanced by the love that his family had for him and by the rich stories that he shared. Jeff began by reminiscing about that day when Gary was brought to River Run by mysterious forces. "Time travel. How screwy was that? And I still hate your cat." Jeff commented with a chuckle. Then Jeff's tone became serious. He told Gary how grateful he was that God had brought Gary into his life and how thrilled he was to have Gary for a "brother" and grandson-in-law. Gary had made Jennifer very happy and had blessed the Metcalf family with two beautiful children. Jeff paused for a moment before he asked for Gary's forgiveness.  
  
"Forgiveness?" Gary asked puzzled.  
  
"Yes, you know, for the fake newspaper. The one Chuck, Bernie, and I made to get you to your bachelor party."  
  
"That's water under the bridge, Jeff. I forgave you for that a long time ago."  
  
"Really? I mean, you really, honest to goodness, forgave me? You don't feel a little left over anger towards me about that? I need to know, Gary."  
  
Need to know? Why was this so important to Jeff? Why now?  
  
Gary gazed into the tortured eyes of his former mirror image. Instinctively, he hugged Jeff. "No, Jeff. I don't feel any anger towards you. All I feel is love."  
  
Jeff let out a relieved sigh. After the hug ended, Gary and Jeff returned to the birthday party. Garrett was thrilled about his new baseball glove and bat. Great-granddad promised to take him to Lincoln Park tomorrow to practice. Jeff smiled at Garrett, but the former Cleveland Indian's eyes held such sadness. Before Jeff and Ginger left the Hobson house that night, Jeff told his family how special they were to him and how he loved them very much. Jeff had acted so strangely.  
  
The next morning, Ginger called Jennifer and Gary and broke the sad news: Jeff had died last night in his sleep. Jennifer and Gary hurried to Ginger's house to comfort her. When they arrived, they found Ginger sitting on the couch and clutching Jeff's baseball uniform as if it were her lifeline of survival. Gary looked deeply into Ginger's eyes and for the very first time, she looked like an old woman. It seemed as if grief had sucked the youthful optimism from her eyes and left hollowness in its place. Jennifer and Gary stood there in reverent silence as Ginger began rambling about the past. How she hated baseball initially. All it was were grown men hitting a ball with a stick and running around in circles. Silly. How she felt that Jeff could have been a movie star. Jeff was so handsome and his eyes were dreamier than Robert Taylor's. How she and Jeff had a terrible argument when he was in Clearwater for spring training. Jeff was upset because he hadn't made any hits and he was worried that he wouldn't make the cut for the team. Ginger was upset because she blew her big break at the radio station when she was asked to leave the switchboard and cover for the weather guy who had taken ill. The aspiring starlet read an old weather report over the WREQ radio and was yelled at by her station manager. Jeff and Ginger weren't very supportive of each other's misery and instead lashed out at each other.  
  
He lied, Ginger continued. Jeff promised her that after he retired from baseball and traveling for road trips that he would never leave her again. She was supposed to die first. He promised.  
  
Jennifer couldn't move. Tears streamed down her face as she listened to Grandmom's heart cry out in grief. Instinctively, Gary proceeded to the couch and sat down next to Ginger. Ginger looked into his mud green eyes. Seeing him, the man who had her husband's face, opened the floodgates. She cried. Cried harder than she had ever cried in her life. She cried for Jeff. Ginger cried for the loss of her husband, her best friend, her soul mate. And Gary held onto her as she cried. He wouldn't let her go.  
  
Two weeks later, the curtain finally closed on the former Lemo Tomato Juice Girl. Ginger also died peacefully in her sleep; her heart had refused to continue beating without the companion heart of her former appleknocker. Ginger had joined Jeff in Heaven.  
  
Kathryn didn't want to hear the usual fairy tale. She wanted Daddy to tell her a story about angels. Gary took a deep breath. "Once upon a time, there was a man who was trapped in an old building. He was hurt and very scared. He was alone. He thought that he was going to die. Suddenly, this light entered the darkness and the man's heart. An angel had come to him. The angel told the man not to be afraid because he was going to be okay. And the angel was right. People heard the man's cries for help and found him. The man was saved from the dark building."  
  
Kathryn studied Daddy intently for a moment. "The angel found the man?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Heaven wasn't ready for the man. It wasn't time to go home." Kathryn reasoned.  
  
It was late and the Sandman was vigilant. Kathryn could no longer suppress the yawns. A few moments later, the little girl had fallen asleep.  
  
The next day, Garrett's Little League game was scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Daddy was going to pick up Garrett at school and Grandmom Lois was going to pick up Kathryn. Mommy was at the studio playing "make believe." The Paper had offered Gary round the clock saves. Gary's last save was at 3:00 p.m. when he had to prevent a drunken man who would be killed in a bar during a brawl. Oh Boy. Getting in the middle of a bar fight was tricky especially if his insinuation was viewed as meddling. Male bravado and alcohol could be a lethal mix. Gary had to be careful that in his effort to help the man he wasn't the one who ended up with broken bones. Surprisingly, Gary was able to prevent the fight. Gary told the bartender to make sure that the drunken would be victim was put into a cab. The bartender nodded his agreement and Gary left the bar. He had twenty minutes to get to Garrett's school.  
  
Gary was excited about Garrett's game. All season Garrett had warmed the bench. The sensitive ten-year-old wanted to play more than anything. Gary spoke to Garrett's coach who promised that tonight he would allow Garrett to play. Coach said that Garrett had a strong arm, but he didn't believe that the boy was ready before. When Garrett learned that he would finally get to play, he vowed to hit a home run for Daddy and one for Great- granddad Jeff. Gary smiled as he told his son that he was sure that Jeff would be watching the game from Heaven and that he was very proud of Garrett.  
  
It took a few minutes before Gary realized that he hadn't checked The Paper. Expecting to see the story about the bar brawl replaced with a mundane story, Gary was shocked and devastated to see the new headline: "Six-year-old Killed in Hit and Run". A small picture of Kathryn accompanied the story. Gary's heart was pounding as he hurried to save his daughter. Memories mingled with his fear as he ran, ran faster than he ever believed that he could run:  
  
"A baby? We're going to have another baby?" Gary asked as a small tear escaped from his eyes.  
  
"Yes." Jennifer whispered her eyes glazed with tears.  
  
He held her hand tightly in the delivery room. She was exhausted and drenched with sweat.  
  
"Push. One more push." Gary told her.  
  
Jennifer pushed as hard as she could. She also squeezed Gary's left hand as hard as she could. He gritted his teeth. She probably broke his hand. That's okay, he was right-handed anyway. Who would have thought that such a little woman could be so strong?  
  
"Push, Mrs. Hobson. Push. I can see the head." The doctor informed her.  
  
A moment later, there was a cry. "It's a girl. Congratulations, you have a daughter." The doctor announced.  
  
Kathryn sat up in the bed and wrapped her arms around Daddy's neck. She hugged him tightly. The hug lasted longer than usual. She shivered slightly. She acted as if she didn't want to let him go.  
  
"Wow! What was that for?" Gary asked curiously.  
  
"I'm making you a memory so you won't forget me." The precocious six-year- old replied.  
  
"Forget you?"  
  
Kathryn nodded. "Yes, when I leave you, Garrett, and Mommy and go home to the angels."  
  
"That won't be for a very long time."  
  
"No, Daddy. Soon. But I'm not afraid." Kathryn answered knowingly.  
  
"I'm not afraid, Daddy."  
  
"I'm not afraid."  
  
Gary blinked hard against the memories as he propelled his body forward. No, God. Please God, no. He pleaded.  
  
As Gary turned the corner near by Kathryn's school, he heard a car's tires violently screech.  
  
"Noooooo!!!!!!" He screamed.  
  
He rushed across the street and cradled Kathryn's still body in his arms.  
  
The doll of the angel lie on the pavement next to Kathryn's body. The doll was shattered into pieces.  
  
Heaven had welcomed the newest angel into its realm. On Earth, a family mourned. But in Heaven, a precious little soul was caressed in the arms of the angels.  
  
  
  
The End. 


End file.
